“And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.” Deuteronomy 1:25
In the first chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses is reiterating the events that happened earlier when they were preparing to enter the Promised Land.
Twelve men were sent to spy out the land of Canaan. No doubt they were excited and eager as they surveyed the country. They all saw the good things about the land. There was plenty of pasture and lots of water for their flocks. Fruit abounded, as evidenced by the bunch of grapes they carried back with them.
But as they returned to the camp and gave an account of what they had seen, there was disagreement among them. Two of them, Joshua, and Caleb, spoke in faith and insisted that there would be no problem for them to take the country. The other ten revealed their fear. They were concerned about the giants they had seen in the land.
Numbers 13:33 “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
Because of their fear, the people murmured, even talked about returning to Egypt. They were ready to stone Caleb and Joshua for trying to convince them that God would be with them. As a result, Israel was forced to wander in the wilderness for forty years. Of all the men over twenty years old, only Caleb and Joshua would eventually enter the Promised Land. Fear instead of faith cost them their future.
When we see the things that are happening in our world today, it is easy to let fear arise in our hearts. It is one of the greatest tools that Satan uses against the children of God. If he can get us worried about the future, he has won a foothold in our lives. The future is in God’s Hands. The Lamb of God is the One who holds the book. Revelation 5:7 “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.”
The Valley of Eschol is a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision for His people. The bunch of grapes is a symbol of the blessings God has in store for those who put their faith and trust in Him.
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Promise for Today: Faith overcomes fear and gives us hope for the future.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
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